The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-07-21
AUSTIN MUST BUILD HER OWN RAIL,
ROADS.

Austins railroad committee have tried
every way that has suggested itself, or
that they could devise, to influence some
trunk lines of railroads running within
hundred or two miles of Austin to build
tap to this city. Mr.. Woodbridge, of that
committee, has been unremitting IN his
efforts in this direction, and has been IN
constant correspondence with railroad
authorities of different lines on this sub
iect for a month and more. The case has
resolved itself into this The Santa Fe
cannot and will not do anything at present
in the way of an extension from any
point of their lines to Austin, nor
will they mention any time, even in the
remote future, when they will be in con-
dition to build in this direction. Nothing
can be expected from the Texas d. b.
Louis or the Arkansas Pass railroads.
Both have their hands full with other ex-
tensions, and cannot entertain any prop
O ition to come to Austin; so that II our
city wants any new railroad connections
within the next year or two, she must
build them herself. And what is there TO
prevent our city from putting her hand
to the pillow and working out her own
prosperity and growth Other cities no
larger, and many smaller, than Austin, in
this and other states, have done this III
the past and are doing it now; why can
not Austin show her pluck and grit In
some such wayY Upon what claim OF
Justice can she sit serenely back and ask
the state and the general public at large
to build her railroads, come in and pos
sess her and make her rich and power
full city while she rests and calmly looks
on and waits for the good work to be
accomplished? In this connection, two
clippings from late issue of the Sunny
South, a Georgia paper, furnish clinch-
ing proof of the need of personal action
Macon is little town in Georgia, in 1884
only having 200 inhabitants, and yet the
Sunny South has this to say:
The enterprising little town of Macon,
Fayette county, has raised $26,OOO In
subscriptions to the Tennessee Midland
Railway company, provided they run
their road within a half mile of that
place. A gentleman from Macon informs
us that the stimulus to such exertions
was the statement made by Col. L. q.
Leake, ir., that "if Macon will raise S25,-
600 we will run the road by her."
Again, the Sunny South, in speaking of
Knoxville, another Georgia town that had
in 1884 population of only $4,000 souls,
gives splendid showing of the enterprise
and wide-awake character of that place:
On the 9Th the city council decided to
subscribe $275,000 to the Knoxville South
ern railway, to connect with the Marietta
d North Georgia,and $225,000 to the Pow
ellis Valley, connecting with the Louisville
d Nashville and Norfolk d. Western in
Kentucky. Both roads are to be com
pleted in two years.
How would Austin like to earn such
reputation as this statement gives Knox
vile? The wager is laid that Austin to-
day has twice the wealth of Knoxville, If
not more; but Knoxville seems to have
ten thousands times the push and energy
of our people. But be that as it may, this
is the problem the people of this city must
face; outsiders will not build railroads for
us; railroads now running past us say they
cannot for some time to come run extern
sions to Austin. Are the people of Aus
tin willing to do without these much
needed railroads, and wait on the con
venience of these satisfied trunk lines, or
will they band together and build rail
roads for themselves, and thus enrich
themselves and the town. This is the
question, citizens of Austin, that now
rests upon your decision. We will see
what will be your action.
ILLEGAL ENCLOSURE ENDED.